From the Diary of a Procrastinator

By Courtney Bousquet
Contributor, Career Services

There are not many times that I cheer out loud and throw my hands in the air at my desk while reading an article or blog, but recently while reading a blog by Charlene Li I did just that. Li, founding partner at Altimeter Group shared on LinkedIn, recounts her experiences and what inspires her while working on a project or writing.

I’m not sure if it’s the heat wave we’re experiencing or the general fact that it is summer, but I’ve had to make an extra conscious effort to set aside time for projects – especially those on which I may not be an expert – to keep myself on task and motivated. Li helped me realize that I may not be able to connect with certain projects because they are not inspiring to me, but the outcome may actually be what is needed to push me over that threshold and get me to want to complete them. I am one that likes to help others and often have had to take a step back from projects that I am completing and ask myself, “What is the end result?” or “What will this help others accomplish?” By taking a step back and seeing the larger picture I am able to focus on my task with clarity.

Charlene Li shares three, simple, yet disciplined, ways to become motivated and inspired in your daily work.

1. “Tackle really audacious topics.” It is not always glamorous to tackle the safe topics, so take a leap and take on the larger picture. Consider how you may be able to help someone solve a larger project, become more efficient in a process or create solutions. You may not always come to a definitive (or finite) answer, but you will likely gain valuable insight along the way which can be more inspiring than simple topics or projects.
2. “Coordinate and protect your calendar.” Schedule time for yourself to complete your projects, whatever they maybe. Often, at my job, we have many schedules to work around for meetings and sometimes our project time can get lost in the shuffle of other meetings. I have blocked out time on my calendar that is dedicated to projects that I need to complete allowing a dedicated brainstorming or working session to accomplish tasks. Having a dedicated block of time can allow you to make progress and stay in the proper mindset without having to worry about distractions.
3. “Become more mindful.” With large undertakings, it can become all too easy to procrastinate and work on some other mindless task in the meantime. Be conscious of your tendencies of putting projects off to the last minute and concentrate on the actions and emotions that you may be experiencing. Be mindful when entering into your project time. Set a timer, take a deep breath, block social media sites, and be in the moment with your project. Focus on moving forward.

In the end, you should reflect on what you accomplished and celebrate your movement forward! Seeing tangible results can motivate you and inspire your next session while also perhaps getting you to start sooner than you plan!